


Drawn: Zeno

by Fai_Gensou



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-18
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-03-20 15:30:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13720623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fai_Gensou/pseuds/Fai_Gensou
Summary: He had told him to visit, but he never did. So, as he died, he decided he would just have to go to him.Prequel to Drawn





	1. Guen

**Author's Note:**

> I was originally planning to have this in Yona's journal, but it doesn't really fit. So here it is, the first little bit.

Guen opened his eyes in time to watch Zeno be cut down, and five swords shoved into his body. He went to punch a soldier, not questioning why his arm was back to that of the dragon’s (and forgetting that he was dead), when Zeno’s voice stopped him. “…Guen…”

“Wait, I died. And I had been thinking of how if Zeno wouldn’t visit me, I’d just have to come to him.” Guen said to himself. “What are you doing you idiot?!” He shouted when he saw Zeno stand, despite the swords, tears streaming down his face.

He seemed like he was in a trance of some kind, even as he gritted his teeth and began pulling the swords from his body, ignoring the lacerations to his hands he gained doing so.

Guen could only stand there, dumbfounded as the wounds sealed themselves.

But the greatest surprise was when a sound he had never forgotten started, and he watched golden scales creep down Zeno’s arm.

And that surprise was replaced by shock when Zeno killed a man by punching him in the face, snapping his neck and breaking his cheekbones, then running forward with a speed that reminded Guen of Shuten leaping.

Guen just stared as Zeno slaughtered the soldiers, any new wounds not even forming, but, at least to Guen, slashing skin away to reveal more scales.

The three of them had fiercely debated Zeno’s power after his demonstration, and Hiryuu-sama’s unusual reaction. “Look, the kid’s not a fighter anyway, and do we want to see the idiot king upset when Ouryuu acts as a human shield?” Shuten pointed out. “I hate to admit it, but he does more good here keeping up spirits and looking after all the little old ladies and orphans nearby. Whatever his power is, it’s gotta be some sort of trump card.”

The debate stalled until Zeno’s body literally pulled itself back together after being slashed from shoulder to hip, through his heart. The damage to his clothes was enough to prove that it had been a fatal blow.

To anyone else.

“On the surface, healing from any injury seems like a nice power to have.” Abi mused later. “But how do we know, truly, if it applies only to injuries? It could cover anything and everything that could kill a person. Disease, illness caused by the body itself…old age.”

“Wait, you saying he might be immortal?!” Guen and Shuten exclaimed.

“The tales say a dragon’s body cannot be harmed. But if it’s meant to be a trump card, then it’s no good if it’s obvious the way our powers are. And maybe immortal isn’t the right word for it.”

“If he’s not immortal than what is he?”

“That’s the question. A better word might be ‘unchanging’. His hair never seems to grow; he didn’t gain any of the height one would expect a boy in his late teens to. He’s…frozen, to the way he was the moment he drank the dragon’s blood.” Abi theorized.

“I guess the only way to know for sure is if we turn old and gnarled while he stayed the same.” Guen half-complained, half-suggested.

It was why he phrased his request to visit the way he had.

_‘Even if *I’m* an old geezer’._

The few surviving soldiers were scared enough to run, and Zeno didn’t give chase. Falling to his knees, the tears came faster. “I NEVER WANTED THIS!!!! GUEN! ABI! SHUTEN! DON’T LEAVE ME!!!!” He screamed to the sky, before curling in on himself as he sobbed.

“But I’m right here…you were always talking to spirits, why can’t you see me?” Guen whispered, reaching out to rub Zeno’s back, only for his hand to pass through his body.

“Too much pain.” Turning, Guen saw Hiryuu. “He’s never seen me either.”

His face was wet. “I don’t know what my brother was thinking, giving him such a power…” Hiryuu latched onto Guen the way he had years ago, after the murders of his adoptive mother and father. “And I could never bring myself to tell him the truth, nor could I find the words.” Guen and Hiryuu sunk to their knees on either side of Zeno and clung to each other as they cried with him, partly in his body, sharing his grief.

If Zeno noticed the chill, or familiar presences nearby, he was either too far into his grief or thought he was hallucinating.


	2. Abi

The day Abi opened his eyes and saw only blackness, he knew he would die that day. “Now it seems that I see the world as you do, my dearest.” He whispered to his wife, Murasaki of Genji. “The blackness is…overwhelming…”

“From my view, all the colors you’ve described over the years would be overwhelming.” She replied, squeezing his hand, and running footsteps announced the arrival of his grandson and successor as Seiryuu, Shu-en. “Grandfather…” Small hands clung to his robe. “Your eyes…they’re clouded…”

“After so many years with the Dragon’s Eyes, it seems any kind of human sight is forever lost. It may be the same with you, should you have a successor as Seiryuu.” He said, stroking hair he knew to be as blue as the sky.

Nearly six years ago, when he first laid on his grandson, and saw his sky blue hair, his sight had slowly faded, and his body gained all the years in age it should have in appearance, greying his hair and wrinkling his skin. Guen, the only one of them to have any kind of stubble or facial hair, was even able to grow a beard after his successor was born.

Thinking of successors brought to mind Zeno. His bright presence was still strong, and still alone. Whispers had reached his wife’s isolated estate, of how the High Priest of Kouka did not age, since he bore the body of Ouryuu. The last time he had peered in on Zeno, five years ago, had shown him a face and body unchanged.

“How will I know, if Hiryuu-sama comes back?” Shu-en’s small voice drew him from his thoughts.

“It’s said the day he descended a red star shone in the sky. His return will likely be marked by the same.” He replied. “You remember all I’ve told you?”

“’Hair like fire, eyes like wisteria, heart as wide and as deep as the sea.’ ‘What I inflict on others with my power comes back on me.’ ‘Arm to carry Heaven’s burden, Leg to reach Heaven’s grace, body to bear Heaven’s will.’” Shu-en recited. “’Pass this on, until the day he comes back.’”

“Good…” There was a dim glow at the edge of his vision, one that grew brighter and brighter, growing to the size of a person.

The glow refined itself into the figure of Hiryuu-sama. “Ou-sama…”

Hiryuu smiled sadly. “It’s time, Abi.”

Blinking, Abi found his sight restored, and he was standing with Hiryuu and Guen, who also appeared as he did when they parted ways. Before he could say anything, he was wrapped up in a hug from both of them, nearly sending all of them off their feet. Closing his eyes, Abi just basked in his king’s familiar presence, and was only dimly aware of his family mourning his passing.

* * *

Some time later Hiryuu and Guen pulled back, letting Abi see they were at the castle. “Why are we back at the castle?” He asked, standing.

“Zeno.” Hiryuu replied sadly, leading the way.

They ended up at the same side gate where they had parted years ago. There was a horse, and in the middle of mounting the horse was Zeno. “So who was it?”

Turning, Abi started when he glimpsed Ha-kun. True, he had seen her throughout the years, but his mental image of her was still that of a younger woman, face lined with grief and holding her daughter. Now her hair was a uniform steel grey, and her face was wrinkled. She retained a dignified beauty, and the glance Hiryuu gave her spoke volumes.

Zeno turned and looked at her. “Who was what?”

“Even his voice is the same…” Abi noted, voice full of disbelief.

Guen nodded in agreement as Ha-kun continued. “Who died this time? Abi or Shuten?”

Zeno started, face full of shock. “How…?”

Ha-kun gave him her painfully familiar ‘are you an idiot’ look. “I’m old, not blind, I saw how you reacted during the ceremony. Someone who doesn’t know you wouldn’t have seen it, but I did.”

A bag hit Zeno in the face. “The maids are ready to riot if you come back in torn and bloody clothes again. Try to stay out of trouble.” Turning, she walked away, her body still moving with easy grace.

Securing the bag, Zeno spurned the horse into a gallop. “I know he’s been handling potential problems before they grow, but there’s been nothing…” Abi wondered with furrowed brow. “So where’s he going?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” Guen said.

“It’s what he’s doing that I’m afraid of. If it’s what I think it is…” Hiryuu said.

* * *

The unasked question of just what Hiryuu thought Zeno went off to do was answered that night. Under a quarter moon, the three ghosts clung to each other as Zeno sobbed and tore his body to pieces, only stopping when nearly every bit of skin visible through his shredded and bloodied clothes had turned to golden scales. “His power is the most fearsome of all, isn’t it?” Abi asked as Zeno, out of body parts to abuse, curled into a ball.

His sobbing seemed harder now that he could not take his pain out on himself. “Ou-sama…why didn’t you tell me? If you had, maybe I could have prepared for this day…” Zeno whispered.

“Countless times I tried, and countless times the words caught in my throat, as I feared for you, and cursed Yellow Brother.” Hiryuu whispered back, unheard by Zeno. Kneeling down, Hiryuu mimicked hugging Zeno.

“Why me? Surely one of the others would have been better suited for this power…but if the gods still hear me, I can’t hear their answer…” Zeno mourned.

“How did the Dragon Gods chose which power to gift? But I don’t think any of us is bettered suited to eternity.” Abi commented.

“They haven’t said anything about how. But Yellow Brother must have forseen a need for the Dragon Warriors, and sent a part of himself to be born human; that’s the only way Zeno could be able to have his power.” Hiryuu said.

“Now it’s only Shuten left…he’s so faint, but he’s too stubborn to go easily…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Abi, his legacy ends up being lost and turned into a curse…
> 
> Comment if you know what I'm referencing with Abi's wife's name (without googling)


End file.
